Rickey Smiley left his slick suits in the closet for an early show on Friday at the Comedy Club Stardome. For his 7:30 p.m. performance, Smiley wore dark jeans, a brown sweater and a white T-shirt. He was still stylin',' though, with two-toned shoes and a straw fedora. (Bob Gathany/The Huntsville Times file)

Smiley, 41, is a Birmingham native, the host of a syndicated radio show in Atlanta and one of our city's favorite comedians.

Folks expect him to return for the festivities surrounding the Classic football game -- Smiley attended Alabama State and did some early standup routines at Alabama A&M -- and his annual performances here have become a Classic tradition.

For the past couple of years, Smiley has performed a single, sold-out concert at the Alys Stephens Center, telling Birmingham-centric jokes and doing loose-limbed routines in a razor-sharp suit.

For 2012, his approach has changed: more shows and more often, plus casual clothes and a heavier emphasis on music. Smiley's always been a physical comic, dancing in a faux-funky style and creating characters with swift movements and gestures.

He didn't disappoint fans on that score at Friday's 7:30 p.m. concert; the crowd roared with laughter and absolutely adored him. But along with the usual snippets of R&B hits peppering his chatter, Smiley also did an extended gospel bit, lampooning the differences between black and white churches.

He sang more, talked less -- an interesting and evidently popular switch. Also, instead of focusing on one long, highly concentrated set, Smiley operated as a master of ceremonies, doing shorter routines and introducing other comics on the bill. His jokes ended the night, of course, as befits a headliner.

The guy's funny, no doubt about that. Smiley's the life of the party on stage, genial and goofy, chuckling at his own quips and cracking up over life's silliness. He's not a cerebral comic; he's an exuberant one.

Smiley knows exactly what his listeners want in Birmingham, so good luck getting tickets for his five remaining shows at the Comedy Club. (After two performances on Friday, he's got three today and two on Sunday.)